Who on earth would have thought it...not me!!
After spending the afternoon shopping in the Chesterfield town centre (Plus a lovely bar meal to boot) the wife brought me a bottle of London Pride through as I settled to watch what I thought would be a mullering on Hulls part.
As the team sheet was screened my eyes popped out of their sockets, no Maguire as I thought he would be a cert to start, Antonio as a lone frontman, thus no striker playing so was DJ employing a false 9? A la Barca/Spain? Surely not!! Then finally to top it all off Giles Coke was starting. That left me thinking "10-0 Hull" so I wasnt optimistic to say the least!
Anyway, the game kicked off and fo the first 10-15 mins it was like watching Barca/Spain, we had something like 73% to their 27% possession wise. As much as a pleasure it was to watch it, there was still a long way to go and refused to imagine the 4-0 scorelines we would produce. Then Hull got more and more of the ball and we then reverted to our usual "Av it" or "Boomf...av another try" tactics which filled me with dread but Hull wasnt threatening too much still, then Reda scored and I danced round the living room as the wifes eyes rolled upwards, then my 2year old lad celebrated with me, what a feeling!!
At half time, I was happy but not getting too excited, the performance was good, we kept them at bay at least. Then the 2nd half came...AND WHAT A 2ND HALF!! We were magnificent, we were first to every ball, didnt give them a look in for most of the 2nd half, it was the perfect away performance, we got at them and they couldnt live with us and for the first time this season we looked very dangerous up top and looked like scoring everytime we went forward. When Coke "scored" I went like a man possesed, much like Coke himself and it wasnt only when I sat down and seen Hull break away and the score saying 0-1 I realised that it was ruled out, which angered me slightly. When Hull equalised I though, "Thats it, time to roll over and get mullered, but we didnt, we got back at them and won a corner, when RJ bundled it in I didnt celebrate straight away as I though that he was going to give a foul on the keeper but he didnt so I went mental again and again my lad joined in!!
As the time passed as the keeper was being treated I though it was amusing to see us holding a quick training session but at the same time I was on edge as there was 13+mins injury time to play so I wasnt getting too excited but as play resumed we held our own and when Antonio scored I breathed a little easier and slower but then the heart started to pump again when Helan conceded that silly penalty, the Kirland saved then the whistle went and went bananas, what a game, performance and result!!
I'll swallow my pride here and say that DJ got everything spot on, tactics were spot on, selection spot on and there want one player that didnt give their all...even JJ did well and got a few decent shots in (except for a couple of wayward efforts too) but for me the man of the match was Giles Coke, he played like he wanted to play for Sheffeild Wednesday, played with so much heart and purpose and I can only hope that DJ keeps him in the team, if this is what he is capaple of then he should be one of the first names on DJ's team sheet and was very unlucky to have his goal unfairly ruled out, the sight of him celebrating like he did showed how much this meant to him, 18 months of misery through injury and shipped out on loan too must have been so fustrating but he has never moaned about it and that performance showed how much he wants to play for us, WELL DONE GILES !!!
If we carry on like that from now till season end we'll be fine!! Same again till the end of the season please lads.
UTMO!!!
Well, well, well!!!
posted on 14/1/13
Yeah I think it's really blatantly obvious that DJ has signed some pretty average/poor players. The team from last year if nothing else, are big, bullyish and up for a fight. What more do you need in a relegation scrap.
I still maintain that we needed 4-5 good new players in pre-season and we'd have been in the top half. Its a shame cos I think DJ is a decent man manager and motivator but his signings have been weak! literally!
posted on 14/1/13
Also what brigg says
posted on 14/1/13
I still stand by the its surely cant be a coincidence that Terry Burton left and we fell to pieces and our turn in form and fortunes has just so happened to arrive as soon as Stuart Gray entered the door.
Dont get me wrong, if we start seeing a massive improvement I wont be complaining and if thats what works in getting this club winning football matches I'll be happy as larry but I cant change my opinion of DJ so easily, not yet.
Its strange really, if you win 8 games in a row and then lose people would call you an idiot for calling for the managers head but the other way round where u lose 8 in a row and then win 1 and everybody is expected to change their opinion and praise the manager. I know its all about been positive, and let me tell you that the last few games (Burnley excluded) have been better but our performance against Hull was one very good performance in how many games???
Absolutely delighted with the team and manager for Saturday but it will be that level of performance consistently that will change my opinion. I hope we can keep it up.
UTO
posted on 15/1/13
What Poite says
Im still in a way sat on the fence, even after the last few games where we have improved, another few wins like Saturday, preferably in succession of course, then I'll happily eat my words regarding DJ and say I was wrong and glad MM kept faith in him but DJ has got a lot of things wrong this season, something a manager of his experience shouldnt have done if Im honest!
posted on 15/1/13
The three main issues then?
1. Terry Burton leaving
2. Dave Jones can not work the transfer market
3. The core of Megsons' team are good enough to man the barricades in the Championship.
I ask;
Should we get off Jones' back and give him a chance to settle the listing Good Ship Wednesday?
Also,
Based on our recent upturn in form - are we going to hang on to our Championship satus next year?
And finally,
Where is our scouting network at these days?
WAWAW?
(The real enemy is the blunts - let us not forget)
posted on 15/1/13
Should we get off Jones' back and give him a chance to settle the listing Good Ship Wednesday?
After the last few weeks I'd say yeah, after Saturday he seems to have found his team (at last) and therefore should stick to it. If he swapped and changed again then we will see a return to our absymal form, stick with it now I say!!
Based on our recent upturn in form - are we going to hang on to our Championship satus next year?
I think we will, again, providing we can stick to the same team and gameplan from Saturday, DJ has got it right with playing Lee on the right and Helan on the left and there will be more goals now Reda is back but Antonio and Madine (if he comes into the team) need to start scoring more too if we are to further our good form!
Where is our scouting network at these days?
I believe we have taken a 17 year old FC United of Manchester starlet on a weeks trial who apparently will be a great player so I think theres still stuff goin on in our scouting System.
Also, your comment regarding DJ and not working the transfer market. I think he would benifit if he worked under a director of football, someone who has a good eye for talent. Say if DJ went to him and said I need this type of player or that type of player then the DOF should go out and find someone, not that it will happen mind as we all know how stubburn DJ is but we all know he isnt the best in the market, signing the likes of Bothroyd and Sidibe has proved this!!
posted on 15/1/13
Mega,
Director of football?
Begone you demon from the future!!!!!! he certainly would benefit from some inout here, i suspect its more a question of resopurces rather than structure. We've not got the money to spend on a scouting network that meets
posted on 15/1/13
^ our needs to source new, younger palayers at this level.
posted on 15/1/13
Nah, I say sack the idiot and get O'Driscoll in
posted on 15/1/13
Bristol City?